Spray head for an aerosol dispenser



Nov. 26, 1963 E. H. GREEN 3,112,074

SPRAY HEAD FOR AN AEROSOL DISPENSER Filed Nov. 29, 1961 Wlf/l/ hi EDWARDH. GREEN by awmwdifi/zubi $10M United States Patent C) Filed Nov. 29,1961, Ser. No. 155,731 6 Claims. (531. 239-4193) The present inventionrelates to aerosol dispensers and, more particularly, toa new andimproved spray head for use therewith.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved spray head for aerosol dispensers which aids nebulization oratomization of the pressurized product being dispensed therethrough.

An important object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedspray head having a discharge orifice and means for imparting a swirlingaction to the pressurized product being dispensed as it passes throughthe discharge orifice whereby to aid in nebulization thereof.

A more detailed object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved spray head of the character described having a post centered inthe outer end of a discharge passage extending through the spray head, anose piece having an orifice centered therein closing the outer end ofthe discharge passage in the spray head and abutting against the outerend of the post, and spiral groove means formed in the outer end of thepost and providing communication between the discharge passage and thespray orifice whereby to impart a swirling action to the product as itpasses through the orifice.

Certain other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, andwill in part appear hereinafter.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of theinvention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged vertical central section taken through an aerosoldispenser spray head embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a further enlarged front end view looking toward the nosemember of the spray head of FIG. 1;

FiG. 3 is a still further enlarged front end View of the outer end ofthe post of the spray head of P168. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken generally on the line 4-4 of FIG.3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken generally on the line 5-5of FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a spray head It) embodying the invention ischaracterized by a main body portion 11 having a centrally locateddepending stem portion 12. A vertically disposed discharge passage 13extends upwardly through the depending stem portion 12 and into the mainbody portion 11 of the spray head it The spray head 1% is adapted foruse on a valved aerosol container having a -d-ispensing valve assemblyof a well known type including a valve cap having an upstanding centerisland with an opening formed in the 00p thereof, a sealing gasketseated against the underside of the top of the center island and havinga central bore aligned with the opening in the top of the center island,and a valve member normally resiliently urged upwardly into fluid-tightsealing engagement with the sealing gasket whereby to prevent the escapeof ressurized product from the container. A dispensing valve assembly ofthis type is fully described and illustrated in FIG. 1 of :cowadingapplication, Serial No. 18,549, filed March 30, 1960, now abandoned, byEdward H. Green. The depending stem portion 12 of the spray head 1! isadapted to be sealingly inserted downwardly through the aligned openingsin the top of the center island and the sealing gasket and into anupwardly opening socket formed in the top of the valve member. When thespray head is depressed, the valve member is moved downwardly out ofsealing engagement with the sealing gasket whereby to I Patented Nov.26, 1.953

permit the pressurized product in the container to flow into thedischarge passage 13 of the spray head 10 through a vertically extendingslot 14 formed in the lower end of the depending stem portion '12 in amanner well known in the :art.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a horizontally disposed discharge passage 16of substantial diameter extends between the upper end of the verticallydisposed discharge passage 13 and the outer surface of the spray head 19at the front thereof. An enlarged diameter circular recess 17 isprovided in the front of the spray dispenser It in centered relationshipto the outer end of the horizontally disposed discharge passage 16 for apurpose which will be evident hereinafter.

A generally cylindrical post 2t), which may be formed integrally withthe spray head 10 and which may be attached at its inner end to the mainbody portion 11 thereof by a narrow neck 21, is centered in thehorizontally disposed discharge passage 16. The post it is provided withfour integral longitudinally extending external ribs 23 which are spacedequidistantly about the circumference thereof and which terminateinwardly of the outer end of the post 20. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1and 5, the maximum outer diameter of the ribbed post 26 is substantiallyless than the inner diameter of the horizontally disposed dischargepassage 15.

To close the outer end of the horizontally disposed dischmge passage 16,a generally cup-shaped nose piece 25 is provided. The nose piece 25 ischaracterized by an annular wall portion 26 having an outer diameterapproximately equal to the inner diameter of the horizontally disposeddischarge passage 16 and an inner diameter which is approximately equalto the maximum diameter of the ribbed post 2% and by an enlargeddisc-like base portion 27 having an outer diameter slightly smaller thanthe diameter of the circular recess 17 formed in the front of the sprayhead 10. The nose piece 25 is tightly fitted in the outer end of thehorizontally disposed discharge passage 16 with the base portion 27thereof being received in the circular recess 17 formed in the front ofthe spray head 10, with the annular wall portion 26 being tightly fittedover the ribs 23 on the post 24 and with the inner surface of the baseportion 27 abutting against the outer end of the post 20. The outer endof the horizontally disposed discharge passage 16tmay be provided withan inwardly projecting head 28 (FIG. 1) which is adapted for fluid-tightsealing engagement with the outer surface of the annular wall portion 25of the nose piece 25. A discharge spray orifice 39 is centered in thebase portion 27 of the nose piece 25. The inner end of the orifice 31may be slightly enlarged in diameter, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, the fore-going center post 2t; andnose piece 2-5 arrangement serves to separate or divide the horizontallydisposed discharge passage .16 into four smaller circumferentiallyspaced passages 32 each of which is defined by a pair of adjacent ribs23, the inner surface of the annular wall portion 26 of the nose piece25, and by the non-ribbed portion of the outer surface of the centerpost 2%. In this fashion direct flow of fluid is permitted fromdischarge passage 13, to the inner end of the horizontal passagelfi, andthus, to the four circumferential passages 32. As the ribs 23 on thepost 29 terminate inwardly of the outer end of the post 20, all of thepassages 32 open at their outer ends into an annular space 33 (FIG. 1)defined by the outer nonrib-b'ed end of the post 24! and the adjacentinner wall portions of the nose piece 25.

Novel passage means are defined between the outer end of the post 24 andthe inner surface of the base portion 27 of the nose piece 25 whereby toprovide communication between the annular space 33 provided at the outerend of the post 29 and the discharge spray orifice 39. An annularV-shaped groove 35 is formed in the outer end of the post about the lonitudinal axis of the post as its center, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3and 4, with the innermost portion of the groove 35 being incommunication with the enlarged diameter inner end portion of thedischarge spray orifice 34 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The annularV-sh-aped groove 35 is intersected tangentially at four locations spacedequidistantly from each other by four V-shaped grooves 37 formed in theouter end of the post 20 and having their outer ends intersecting thecylindrical surface of the post 253 at the outer edge thereof. Thus,when the spray head 16 is depressed to open the dispensing valve of thevalved aerosol container, the pressurized product flows upwardly throughthe vertically disposed discharge passage 13, through the fourhorizontally disposed passages 32 into the annular space 33, and thenthrough the four grooves 37 into the annular groove 35 and outwardlythrough the spray discharge orifice 30. As the grooves 37 intersect theannular groove 35 tangentially, a swirling action is imparted to thepressurized product being dispensed whereby to aid in nebulization oratomization of the product as it passes through the orifice 39, wherebythe product is dispensed as a desirable fine spray,

It is noted that the annular groove 35 and the grooves 37 tangentiallyintersecting the groove 35 may be provided with a configuration otherthan \'-shaped and that, if desirable, these grooves could be formed inthe inner surface of the base portion 27 of the nose piece rather thanin the outer end of the post 20.

It will be understood that certain additional changes may be made in theconstruction or arrangement of the aerosol dispenser spray headdisclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an aerosol dispenser spray head of the type which has a dischargepassage extending therethrough and which is operable when depressed toopen a valve mounted in the top of an aerosol container whereby todispense a pressurized product in the container therethrough, theimprovement which comprises, a removably mounted nose piece closing theouter end of the discharge passage and having a spray orifice formedtherein, a post integral with said spray head centered in the outer endof the discharge passage having an outer end surface disposed transverseto said discharge passage, said outer end surface, substantiallythroughout the extent thereof, abutting against said nose piece, andmeans communicating directly with said discharge passage defined betweensaid post and said nose piece for imparting a swirling action to thepressurized product being dispensed prior to its passage through saidspray orifice whereby to aid in the nebulization thereof.

2. In an aerosol dispenser spray head of the type which has a dischargepassage extending therethrough and which is operable when depressed toopen a valve mounted in the top of an aerosol container whereby todispense a pressurized product in the container therethrough, theimprovement which comprises, a post integral with said spray head havinga diameter less than that of the discharge passage centered in the outerend thereof, said post having an end surface disposed transversely ofsaid discharge passage, a removably mounted nose piece closing the outerend of the discharge passage and abutting substantially throughout theextent of the end surface of said post against the outer end of saidpost, substantially throughout the surface extent thereof, said posthaving an outer end surface extending transversely of said passage, aspray orifice centered in said nose piece, and spiral groove meansdefined between the outer end of said post and the inner surface of saidnose piece to provide communication directly from the discharge passageto said spray orifice in a manner adapted to aid in nebulization of thepressurized product dispensed therethrough- 3. In an aerosol dispenserspray head of the type which has a discharge passage extendingtherethrough and which is operable when depressed to open a valvemounted in the top of an aerosol container whereby to dispense apressurized product in the container therethrough, the improvement whichcomprises, a post integral with said spray head having a diameter lessthan that of the discharge passage centered in the outer end thereof,said post having an outer end surface disposed transversely of saidpassage, a removably mounted nose piece closing the outer end of thedischarge passage and abutting against the outer end of said postsubstantially throughout the end surface extent thereof, a spray orificecentered in said nose piece, and spiral groove means formed in the outerend of said post with the outer end of said groove means being in directcommunication with the discharge passage and the inner end thereof beingin communication with said spray orifice, said spiral groove meansdefining perimetrically closed passageways between said post outer endand said abutting nose piece, said passageways being adapted to aid inthe nebulization of the pressurized product to be dispensed through thespray orifice.

i. In an aerosol dispenser spray head of the type which has a dischargepassage extending therethrough and which is operable when depressed toopen a valve mounted in the top of an aerosol container whereby todispense a pressurized product in the container therethrough, theimprovement which comprises, a post integral with said spray head havinga diameter less than that of the discharge passage centered in the outerend thereof, said post having an end surface substantially transverse tosaid discharge passage, a series of external longitudinally extendingribs formed on said post, a cup-shaped nose piece removably fitted inthe outer end of the discharge passage with a base portion thereofclosing the outer end of the discharge passage and abutting against theouter end of said post and with an annular wall portion thereof fittedover said ribs on said post, a spray orifice having spiral passage meansand centered in the base portion of said nose piece, and spiral groovemeans formed in the outer end of said post and providing communicationfrom said spray orifice directly with said discharge passage, saidspiral groove means being defined between the outer end of said post andsaid abutting base portion of said nose piece, said spiral groove means,thereby, comprising perimctrically closed passageways extendinglongitudinally from said discharge passage tangentially to said sprayorifice in a manner adapted to aid in nebulization of the pressurizedproduct dispensed therethrough.

5. In an aerosol dispenser spray head of the type which has a dischargepassage extending therethrough and which is operable when depressed toopen a valve mounted in the top of an aerosol container whereby todispense a pressurized product in the container therethrough, theimprovement which comprises, a post integral with said spray head havinga diameter less than that of the discharge passage centered in the outerend thereof, a series of external longitudinally extending ribs formedon said post, a cup-shaped nose piece removably fitted in the outer endof the discharge passage with a base portion thereof closing the outerend of the discharge passage and abutting against the outer end of saidpost and with an annular wall portion thereof fitted over said ribs onsaid post, a spray orifice centered in the base portion of said nosepiece, an annular groove formed in the outer end of said post incommunication with the inner end of said spray orifice, and at least onegroove formed on the outer end of said post with one end thereof beingopen to the discharge passage at the outer edge of said post and withthe other end thereof tangentially intersecting said annular groove,said groove arrangement providing spiral passage means between thedischarge passage and said spray orifice for the pressurized productdispensed therethrough whereby to aid in nebulization of the productbeing dispensed.

6. In an areosol dispenser spray head of the type which has a dischargepassage extending therethrough and which is operable when depressed toopen a valve mounted in the top of an aerosol container whereby todispense a pressurized product in the container therethroug'h, theimprovement which comprises, a post integral with said spray head havinga diameter less than that of the discharge passage centered in the outerend thereof, a narrow neck integrally connecting the inner end of saidpost to the rnain body portion of the spray head, a series of externallongitudinally extending ribs formed on said post, a cup-shaped nosepiece rernova'bly fitted in the outer end of the discharge passage Witha base portion thereof closing the outer end of the discharge passageand abutting against the outer end of said post and with an annular Wallportion thereof fitted over said ribs on said post, a spray orificecentered in the hase portion of said nose piece, an annular V-shapedgroove formed in the outer end of said post in communication with theinner end of said spray orifice, and a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced t -shape grooves formed in the outer end of said post with oneend of each being open to the discharge passage at the outer edge ofsaid post and With the other end of each tangentially intersecting saidannular V-shaped groove, said groove arrangement providing spiralpassage means between the discharge passage and said spray orifice forthe pressurized product dispensed therethrough whereby to aid innebulization of the product being dispensed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,120,611 Huss June 14, 1938 2,702,957 Cooprider et a1. Mar. 1, 19552,767,023 Venus Oct. 16, 1956 2,962,228 Abplanalp et al. Nov. 2 9, 19602,974,880 Stewart et al. Mar. 14, 1961 2,989,251 Abplan-alp et al. June20, 1961 3,008,654 Abplanalp et a1 Nov. 14, 1961 3,064,865 Scog-gin eta1 Nov. 20, 1962

1. IN AN AEROSOL DISPENSER SPRAY HEAD OF THE TYPE WHICH HAS A DISCHAREPASSAGE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND WHICH IS OPERABLE WHEN DEPRESSED TOOPEN A VALVE MOUNTED IN THE TOP OF AN AEROSOL CONTAINER WHEREBY TODISPENSE A PRESSURIZED PRODUCT IN THE CONTAINER THERETHROUGH, THEIMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES, A REMOVABLY MOUNTED NOSE PIECE CLOSING THEOUTER END OF THE DISCHARGE PASSAGE AND HAVING A SPRAY ORIFICE FORMEDTHEREIN, A POST INTEGRAL WITH SAID SPRAY HEAD CENTERED IN THE OUTER ENDOF THE DISCHARGE PASSAGE HAVING AN OUTER END SURFACE DISPOSED TRANSVERSETO SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGE, SAID OUTER END SURFACE, SUBSTANTIALLYTHROUGHOUT THE EXTENT THEREOF, ABUTTING AGAINST SAID NOSE PIECE, ANDMEANS COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGE DEFINED BETWEENSAID POST AND SAID NOSE PIECE FOR IMPARTING A SWIRLING ACTION TO THEPRESSURIZED PRODUCT BEING DISPENSED PRIOR TO ITS PASSAGE THROUGH SAIDSPRAY ORIFICE WHEREBY TO AID IN THE NEBULIZATION THEREOF.